"Everyone worked hard."
When the appointed ti ca, all students had reached the final destination.
So by their own feet, others by the guidance of teaching assistants after being eliminated.
The common point was that, except for a very few students who arrived late, everyone had either witnessed or experienced the final battle.
"I will announce the rankings."
Professor Grad, having finished a brief discussion with Rosalia, unfolded a paper.
"First, 31 pairs, 62 students who couldn't make it at all have been excluded from the rankings."
"Ah..."
"Of all places, we had to et them there..."
Eliminated students swallowed sighs of regret here and there.
"53rd place, Horn and Bellos pair..."
"31st place..."
"10th place..."
With each ranking announcent, sighs and cheers erupted from various places.
"The higher ranks were all taken by those who ca in with His Highness."
"Damn it, I'm jealous."
"Yes! Made it into the top 20."
And they realized that a huge upset had occurred in this exam.
"But Carlo Deneb and Allia Torta didn't make the rankings?"
"Ah, you ca late so you don't know. They were eliminated early on."
"Those two, early on? Is that even possible?"
A student, surprised by the unbelievable story, inadvertently questioned it.
"I heard they clashed with Luina and Gerhard."
"So not only did those two co in first, they also defeated Carlo's pair?"
The faces of Carlo and Allia flushed slightly at the murmuring voices.
"...2nd place. Rudger Schwaben and Almon Donertz."
"And 1st place. Luina Berchef and Gerhard Goldenheim."
So when the first place was finally announced, they weren't surprised. Despite so controversy in the process, they had clearly seen the results with their own eyes.
"Honestly, wasn't it a bit cowardly? They hung back while everyone else was fighting, then trapped them and finished it."
"It's not cowardly, it's using your head. And containing ten people for over five minutes is just pure ability."
No one had imagined Gerhard would have that level of magical power and skill. He had hidden himself well.
"True. It doesn't seem like 10th rank level at all."
"And His Highness Rudger and Almon were there too!"
Most students had expected Rudger and Almon to be the winners of this exercise.
"And they even defeated Carlo and Allia..."
"I can understand Luina. Honestly, Luina isn't that different from Almon, right? But Luina couldn't have done it alone..."
"So Gerhard was hiding his power?"
"But why? And if he was hiding it, why reveal it now instead of keeping it hidden until the end?"
Even without that, there were many reasons, but not many people had thought of Gerhard and Luina for first place.
Not because they were weak, but because the competitors were so formidable.
Being a pair doesn't work if only one side is exceptional. And objectively speaking, Gerhard was indeed inferior to Luina.
Nevertheless, regardless of the process, the winners were Gerhard and Luina.
By defeating Carlo and Allia and imprisoning the students, they proved it wasn't simply luck.
"Quiet. I haven't finished speaking."
The murmuring students quieted at Professor Grad's words.
"Finally, the grades and bonus points from this exercise will be compiled and additionally added to this sester's final scores. The 1st place for bonus points goes to the Luina and Gerhard pair who caught eight pairs. 2nd place goes to Almon, who caught six pairs..."
Professor Grad continued.
From there, the students realized:
That Luina hadn't paired with Gerhard simply for money.
That the na Goldenheim was certainly not satisfied with 10th place.
And that perhaps there was a high possibility of a major upheaval in this sester's rankings.
Wary gazes were fixed on Gerhard and Luina.
***
"...ina!"
After the exercise ended, Luina headed towards Lavidus Hall.
Thanks to a certain wealthy person, she had drunk and applied potions like water, so there were no wounds or physical problems, but after fighting and rolling around in the mountains for three days, she was ntally exhausted.
'I want to lie down on a soft bed and take a nap.'
Before that, eating a sweet chocolate would make other luxuries or pleasures unnecessary.
Fortunately, she still had so Kraken Ink Chocolate left, which she had earned as a reward for victory.
She was thinking idly that she had done well to save it for tis like this when:
"Luina!"
Luina snapped out of her thoughts at the shout that pierced her eardrums. Turning around, she saw two students approaching.
"Bella? Aina?"
They were her friends from the Knight Departnt.
"Co over here for a mont."
"Why so suddenly?"
"Just co."
They grabbed Luina's hand and pulled her along. They arrived at a small cafe in town.
Bella first ordered a sweet chocolate cake and handed it to Luina.
"Eat it."
"...Suddenly?"
"Just eat it first."
"Well, since you're giving it to , I'll eat it, but..."
Luina's face softened a bit at the sweet chocolate flavor that filled her mouth.
Watching her closely, Aina, as if seizing the opportunity, asked with bright eyes:
"When did you know?"
"Know what?"
Luina questioned the sudden inquiry.
"Gerhard. I'm talking about Gerhard."
"What about Gerhard?"
"When did you know he was hiding his power?"
Aina continued without even listening to her answer.
"Honestly, at first, I thought you were crazy. All the Magic Departnt students wanted to be your partner, but you suddenly chose Gerhard?"
Of course, Gerhard wasn't inadequate. But considering the objective indicator of grades and Luina's aspiration for high grades, it was a strange choice to anyone.
"Honestly, I didn't say it, but I wondered if it was because of money. No, I'm not saying that's definitely why, but if not that, there was no reason... just a little?"
"Yeah, just a tiny bit."
Luina flinched at their words. Fortunately, it wasn't too noticeable.
"...That's not it."
Originally, there was no other reason, but they had just provided a good alternative.
"As you said, I saw Gerhard's potential, that's all."
"Yes, I knew you'd be like that!"
"Right, you wouldn't fall for re money. Sorry for misunderstanding."
"I understand, it couldn't help but look that way."
It was partly true. Luina maintained a deliberately expressionless face, even as her conscience pricked her for lying.
"But even so, it's unexpected. It's not like there weren't better choices, and after all, it's the Goldenheims, right? The ones who ddled with your family."
"...That's a matter between families. There's no reason to project it onto individuals."
It wasn't true. She too had not viewed the Goldenheims and Gerhard favorably.
But she was sincere that it was a family matter. No matter how much she and Gerhard squabbled over the issue, nothing would be resolved.
...Or so she had thought until recently.
"...Luina is too kind."
"If it were , no matter what, I would never have paired with Gerhard."
" neither, neither."
"But, even if Gerhard was hiding his power, isn't he still a bit lacking compared to Carlo?"
Bella raised another question.
Luina had the sa thought, so she didn't have much to say, but there was no need for a far-fetched excuse either.
"I think this ti showed the reason."
After all, history is written by the victors.
"True."
"Well, Luina, you know what you're doing."
They nodded in agreent.
The conversation soon turned to trivial chatter.
"I didn't even make the rankings this ti. I t His Highness and Almon and was eliminated right away."
"That's bad luck. Fortunately, I managed to get in. I got scared when I t Harold in the middle, but maybe because it was the last minute and ti was tight, he just passed by."
"You're really lucky."
Luina was quietly listening to their conversation when she was brought back from her calm by Bella's question.
"Luina, how was it for you?"
"...What?"
"Your three days with Gerhard. Honestly, since I didn't see you fight directly, I'm so curious about how it was."
Next to her, Aina exclaid, " too!"
"There wasn't anything special."
"Nothing special, yet you got first place?"
"Right, and you defeated Carlo and Allia's pair?"
"Hmm."
What was Gerhard like? Luina pondered for a mont.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they won thanks to his contribution.
The problem was that it was thanks to artifacts, which she thought was a bit cowardly, and Gerhard didn't want that fact to be revealed.
"We just worked well together."
"That's it?"
"I don't really have anything else to..."
There was a mont of silence after the ambiguous answer.
"But Luina."
Then Bella broke the silence.
"It really wasn't because of money, right?"
"I already said it wasn't. Why are you asking again?"
"No, that's not what I ant..."
Her gaze moved to Luina's body.
"Your armor seems to have changed..."
"Co to think of it, your weapon too..."
Gulp, Luina suppressed the tea that was about to spurt out, using even her aura. Her throat and nose stung, but she managed her expression as best she could.
"...I changed them with scholarship money. My father insisted that I shouldn't send money this ti since he had so to spare. And my weapon and armor were a bit worn out."
"Really?"
"Good job, Luina. Your equipnt was a bit, no, very worn out. I even wanted to replace it for you!"
Fortunately, they seed to have accepted it.
'I'm glad I thought about this in advance.'
Luina secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
It was a secret that she had been thinking of excuses every day, not wanting to reveal that she was receiving sponsorship from Gerhard.
***
"Good work, sir."
As he left the classroom, a servant was waiting for Gerhard. He threw himself onto the bed inside the carriage with familiarity.
"...I feel like I'm going to die."
"I heard you got first place."
"Yes. I bought first place with money."
Puhehe, Gerhard chuckled dryly.
"This is why I like money."
"Did you use everything you took?"
"Fortunately, not to that extent."
Of course, it was just not everything; the amount consud was by no ans small.
"But at least I earned sothing back too, so that's a relief."
Gerhard took out five glass bottles filled with troll blood and handed them over.
"Troll blood."
"I didn't have the situation to collect everything, so I only took the most efficient things."
"You did well. By the way, how was Luina Berchef?"
"More cooperative than I expected."
Not bad for sothing forcibly bought with money.
She did resist his words occasionally, but she didn't particularly refuse if it was a reasonable choice.
Her skill was naturally beyond question. She wasn't second-ranked for nothing. Whether she would truly beco a Royal Knight, he still didn't know.
"I'm tired."
There had truly been many events.
From the first place in the exercise to the suddenly erged futures. He was exhausted both physically and ntally.
"Take a nap. I'll wake you when we arrive at Lavidus Hall."
"Please do. Oh, by the way, were there any unusual occurrences while I was gone?"
"Nothing within the Academy."
That implied there was sothing outside the Academy.
"What?"
"A letter arrived."
"A letter?"
The servant handed over the letter. The elegantly embossed golden turtle seal was distinct enough to imdiately know who it was from.
"Father?"
"Yes. A letter from the Duke."
Gerhard tore the envelope and unfolded the letter.
On the snow-white paper.
As if emphasizing the beauty of whitespace, there was only a single sentence written:
[I accept your audacious deal.]
But it was intensely what Gerhard had been hoping for.
"...Good."
"Did your intimidation succeed?"
"It's the pufferfish strategy."
The corners of Gerhard's mouth turned upward.
Though an ominous future had newly erged, everything was going smoothly.
For now.
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